Friends of Karen, which supports critically-ill children and their families, held its annual Summer Soirée gala benefit recently at Brae Burn Country Club in Purchase, NY. Dr. Adam Levy, Co-Director of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore was honored with the organization’s Humanitarian Award in appreciation of his outstanding care of Friends of Karen children, and Armonk couple, Lydia and Neil Singer received The Sheila W. Petersen Award, named in honor of Friends of Karen’s founder, in recognition of their exceptional leadership and service to the organization.

The highlight of the evening was the moving tributes from two Friends of Karen mothers of children who had been patients of Dr. Levy’s. Sophia was just three years old when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. During her treatment, her parents struggled emotionally and financially with the reality of caring for a child with a life-threatening illness, and her three siblings each reacted in different ways to the dramatic changes in their family life. Sophia’s family credits Friends of Karen with helping them through this crisis.

Mia, another Friends of Karen child who was Dr. Levy’s patient, became very emotional when her mother, Cynthia, spoke of their cancer ordeal, how Dr. Levy saved her and how Friends of Karen was there every step of the way to ease the family’s stressful journey.

The event raised close to $300,000, which will benefit the hundreds of other children in the NY Tri-State area who are battling a life-threatening illness and whose families turn to Friends of Karen every day. Friends of Karen provides one-on-one support for the whole family. Their team of experienced social workers ensures that each family receives an individualized program of assistance to relieve their daily needs and concerns so they can remain stable and functioning. No family should have to go through their child’s illness alone. Friends of Karen is a lifeline of support.